The Premier Soccer League have cancelled three matches scheduled for this weekend for security reasons.

The game between Highlanders and Triangle, which was supposed to be played at Barbourfields Stadium and the one between Tsholotsho Pirates and Mutare City Rovers at White City Stadium and that pitting Hwange and Bulawayo City at the Colliery have been called off following advice from the police.

Word has been doing rounds that another protest against President Robert Mugabe has been organized for Saturday although there has not been any official confirmation.

However, there is still the top of the table clash at Mandava Stadium where second placed FC Platinum entertain third-placed Caps United in a game that should attract a huge crowd.

FC Platinum are a point above the Green Machine and a win will see the gap widen to four points while a defeat for Kugona Kunenge Kudada will see Caps United overtake them, something which they do not want to happen.

DYNAMOS TIPPED TO WIN

ZPC Kariba need to recover their winning ways when they travel to Baobab to face Tonderayi Ndiraya’s Ngezi Platinum Stars. Ironically, Ndiraya was a player at Dynamos when ZPC Kariba coach Sunday Chidzambwa was the coach of the Harare club.

Dynamos are heavily tipped for maximum points against bottom-placed Border Strikers while Harare City coach Moses Chunga says his profile is too much for a How Mine side that is visiting his team at Rufaro Stadium on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe football family has joined the debate on who will win the 2016 Euro Cup final hoping that one of either France or Portugal will give them some huge financial pickings when the curtain comes down on the tournament in Paris Sunday.

Matches like the Euro 2016 Cup final are a major drawcard in Zimbabwe that even local matches are forgotten as thousands strive to capitalize on their outcome as most Zimbabweans now survive on football betting due to the non-availability of employment.

Many, however, will admit that it has not been all that of a good month as Euro 2016 produced unexpected results with many punters losing out as the likes of Iceland, Wales, and Hungary did the unexpected.

NOT A BED OF ROSES

Regular punter, Sydney Mudavanhu, admits that Euro 2016 was not all that a bed of roses as he lost out on most of the bets he placed.

“It was very difficult. We didn’t expect that small teams like Iceland and Wales would go that much,” said Mudavanhu.

He, however, believes that he will recoup what he lost as he is sure that France will convincingly win the cup final against Christiano Ronaldo’s side.

“I am going to bet for France because they are at home and they are going to win,” said Mudavanhu.

He is not alone in his line of thinking as football analyst Andrew Rwodzi also thinks France has too much firepower for Portugal and will win the game in regulation time.

“I predict a 2-1 win in favour of France especially that they are on home ground,” said Rwodzi.

A member of the Zimbabwe National Soccer Supporters Association, Spencer Muwashu, says he has been following proceedings from day one and from what he has seen, the underdogs Portugal will win.

“I am seeing Portugal lifting this cup against France because their performances have been great. Although there are many who are taking them as underdogs but I foresee them winning,” said Muwashu.

Although opinion is divided, it appears there are many who believe that France will win the tournament compared to those in favour for Portugal.

ZIMBABWE/KENYA RUGBY MATCH

In rugby, Zimbabwe national team coach Cyprien Mandenge is not taking any chances and has assembled Zimbabwe’s strongest squad for their Africa Cup Division 1A opener against Kenya at Harare Sports Club on Saturday.

Zimbabwe has not been performing well on the international front and Mandenge has assembled a mixture of foreign and locally based players in an effort to revive Zimbabwe’s flagging rugby spirit.

Costa Dinha has been recalled from retirement at the age of 38 and also in the squad are the likes of Tangai Nemadire, Denford Mutamangira, Fortune Chipendo, and Jaques Leitao, who have served the team so well in the past.

A win against Kenya will be the tonic that the Sables need as they seek to win the four team group and reclaim the Africa Cup they lost to neighbours Namibia last year.

Apart from Kenya, the other teams in the group are Uganda, and defending champions Namibia.